Resilient wheel.



L. S. ROBBINS & J. R. DAVIS.

RBSILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED Arme, 1911.

Patented Dec. 17,1912

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L..s. 110131511151111. R. DAVIS.

RBSILIENT WHEEL.

ABPLIOATION FILED 11211.15, 1911.

' 2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

Patented Da c. 1'?, 1912.

iin'rrnn erariale LEWIS S. ROBBINS AND JOHN R. DAVIS, OF VNE GROVE, KENTUCKY.

afiisrnrnnr WHEEL.

Specification of Lettersilatent.

Patenten nee. it, asia.

Application filed April 15, 1911. Serial No. 621,343.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, Lewis S..Roiivs and JOHN R. DAVIS, citizens of the United States, residing at Vine Grove, in the vcount-y of Hardin and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements vin Resilient Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to wheels for use on automobiles and like vehicles. in wheels of' this character it is rnecessary to provide some means for absorbing the vibral puncture through contact with the surface of the road and is also apt to become displaced from the rim when rounding a curve at a high speed.

'The primary object of the present invention is to overcome the objections above noted, by providing a wheel consisting of an improved construction and arrangement of independent hub and rim portions with a pneumatic cushion interposed therebetween to impart the desired resiliency to the structure, the cushion being thoroughly housed between the parts so as to be protected from puncture or like injury.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of coacting side plates which are detachablv mounted on the project-ing ends of the boxing of the hub and which are formed with marginal flanges bearing against opposite sides of the rim portion of the wheel to maintain the hub and rim portions in alinement, the plates extendingacross the sides of the pneumatic cushion and being arranged in spaced relation thereto to afford ample clearance for the cushion when it spreads laterally under pressure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle wheel which is reliable and eiiicient in operation, which is free from lost motion, which is particularly simple, durable and strong 'in construct-ion, and

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

bigure l is a longitudinal section of our improved wheel, the section being taken on the line l-l of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a ,transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; lifig. 3 is a side elevation of the wheel, on a reduced scale; Fig. 4L is a detail perspective view of the metallic boxing; and, Fig. 5 is an en lai-ged detail view illustrating the interlocking connection between the pneumatic cushion and 'the inner rim.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying draw* ing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates the hub of my improved wheel, which is -'preferably in the form of a solid wooden disk of any suitable diameter and thickness, the disk having substantially parallel side faces and being formed with a central bore for the reception of a hollow metallic boxing 2. Radiating fro-m the periphery of the boxing are a plurality of integral ribs 3 which are embedded in the wooden hub in order to hold the boxing securely in position, and to cause the parts to turn together, a longitudinal key 4 being formed on the interior of the boxing and being adapted to be received in a groove in the axle spindle to provide a driving connection between the axleand the wheel. The ends of the boxing project beyond the side faces of the hub and are exteriorly screw-threaded, as indicated at 5, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The rim or circumferential portion of the wheel consist-s of concentric inner and outer rims 6 and 7 that are rigidly connected together through the medium of a series of spokes 8. Secured around the outer rim 7, is a solid tire of rubber or other suitable material or substance, the tire being preferably protected from wear by being inclosed in a i leather casing 10. Metallic antieslipping den bears 4against the. periphery of 'thescushion along the median line thereof, the inner surface of the inner rim being curved trans- .versely to conform to the- -contour of the cushion and to lit" snugly thereon. It is necessary to provide an interlocking connecition between lthe cushion and the inner rim -in order toprevent the hub-.and cushionfrom turning within the inner rim when the vaide is rotated; This connection is -established through the medium; 'of'a series' of 'pyramidal or other suitable projections 15 which are formedgintegral with and I outst-and from the periphery ofthe casing-"13, and are received in correspondingly formed recesses 16 in the inner surface of the rim 6. As a further means for preventing4 any such' independent rotary movement of the vparts, a coating of rubber 17 .is applied to the inner surface ofthe inner rim vso.as to effect a firm frictional engagement between,

v other, as indicated at 21, in proximity to their'outer edges, for the purpose of providing oset marginal flanges 22 which bear evenly against opposite sides of the inner rim 6, the flanges guiding the rim portion of the wheel in its movement and holding the rim and hub portions in alinement. Annular wear plates 23 are secured at the side faces of the inner rim to prevent the rim from being worn away through frictional contact with the flanges. The curved portions 21 of the side plates are located on the outer side of and somewhat beyond the pneumatic cushion. It is to be noted that the distance between the plates is 'such that a side plates eifectually, inclose the pneumatic cushion, without in. anywise, interfering with" the free operation thereof.

From thel foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the o eration of my improved wheel will be o vious. mit the hub and rim portions ofthe. wheel to Vhave an independent radial movement as the Wheel passes over obstruction's or inequalities in theroad, the cushion thus absorbing the shocks incident to travel in a thoroughly effective manner. As the cushion is located 'within the rim of the wheel,

of puncture is obviated The side plates coact with the hub and `inner rim to entirely inclose the pneumatic cushion to vshield it from the action of the elements.

In the present instancethe parts are so arranged that the periphery of the rim 6 is normally flush with the outer ed es of the flanges .22, this being preferred since it gives the wheel a neater appearance. However, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to Vthis particular proportion of the parts, but that the rim 6 may be of any suitable diameter according as found desirable. It is also to beunderstood that ball or other anti-friction bearings 23 may be set in the wear plates 23 or the rim 6 in order to cause the wheel to operate more freely and to reduce the wear through contact with the flanges 22.

What we claim is: lIn a wheel, a hub including an outer portion and an -inner portion, said inner portion engaging within the outer portion and reduced at the ends whereby bearing shoulders are produced at the juncture of the inner and outer hub portions, a rim, an anouter hub portion, connect-ing means between the pneumatic member and the' rim, coacting side plates connected tov the reduced terminals of said inner hub and bearing against said shoulders, said side plates bearing at their outer portions against the connecting means. u In testimony whereof, we aiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS S. ROBBINS. [L.s.] JOHN R. DAVIS. [Ls] Witnesses:

G. E. MAUMTRY,

Gr. T. PINNER.

it is protected from Wear-'and the liability The pneumatic cushion will vpernularpneumatic member bearing upon the ioo 

